Castles of Scotland - Findlater Castle

Locationnear Banff/Cullen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

DescriptionFindlater Castle is situated on a small peninsula overlooking the Moray Firth on the coast of Banff and Buchan. It is just under 10 miles west of Banff, near the village of Sandend. The castle is on a cliff with a drop of over 50 feet to the sea. The castle was probably built by Sir John Sinclair of Findlater, who died in 1411 at the battle of Harlaw. The castle is clearly modeled on Roslin Castle, which was the principal stronghold of the Sinclair family.The castle is now in ruins.

HistoryEarliest records of the castle date back to 1246. King Alexander III of Scotland repaired the castle in the 1260s in preparation for an invasion by King Haakon IV of Norway. The Vikings captured the castle for some time. The castle was redesigned and rebuilt in the 14th-century.